Candy making machine



Jan. 21, 1964 F. R. BROWN ETAL 3,118,397

CANDY MAKING MACHINE Filed Nov, 14, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY ROBERT L. KAHN ATTY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z z m m y z 5 a m m Z 4 ,0 w N I fl p m g H ifiA w 6m A 6 0 I I, K 01 5 1 1 p J W W m H i M Q w 1% wzfl w T W h (an W m z a m I WWF M W O r E Film, v I I 9 fi llli B I MH I I II 9 I11 3 |!|H|H|:|| M h 1 II I! 5 n W III! //6 g "a w \\\\\\M\\\..\\ 1 w a w a 6 Jan. 21, 1964 Filed Nov. 14, 1962 Jan. 21, 1964 F. R. BROWN ETAL 3,118,397

CANDY MAKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IIIIIIIIII'KII Filed NOV. 14, 1962 BY ROBER'FL.KAHNATTY.

United States Patent 3,118,397 CANDY MAKING MACHINE Frank R. Brown, Des Plaines, Irwin J. Grabel, Chicago,

and Sherman I). Rubenstein, Slroldc, llL, assignors to Premium Engineering (30., Inc, Chicago, Ill., :1 corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 237,493 Claims. (Ci. 1tl78) This invention relates to a candy making machine. The machine forming the subject matter of the present application utilizes cane sugar and makes so called cotton candy. The machine embodying the present invention is simple, economical to tool and manufacture and is effective for use by children and grownups in connection with making cotton candy. In addition, the new machine embodying the present invention has safety features embodied therein which make it safe to use and handle under various conditions.

In order that the invention may be understood, reference will be made to the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation with some parts broken away showing the new machine.

FIGURE 2 is a partial view 100 ting down upon the top of the machine of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of FIG- URE 2, the electric motor being shown in elevation with certain parts broken away.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of FIG- URE 4.

*iGURE 6 is a section on line -66 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view on line 7-7 of FIG- URE 5.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional detail on line 88 of FIG- URE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional detail on line 9-9 of FIG- URE 7.

The machine comprises combined housing and base it) provided with legs 11, the housing supporting bowl 12. Housing 10 is preferably made of moulded plastic material and has bottom wall 14 and top wall 15. Top wall 15 of the housing is provided with upwardly extending annular portion to for centering bowl l2 thereon. Top wall 15 of the housing has at its inner edge upwardly extending sleeve 18. The entire housing may be made of separate pieces, cemented together, or moulded as a single unit.

Top wall 15 of the housing has peripheral portion 19 from which depends four supporting posts 2b to 2.3 in clusive. As illustrated in FIGURE 4, each of these posts has the bottom end portion grooved at 25. The posts are preferably integral with the housing and are adapted to support the mechanism making up the machine. As illustrated in FIGURE 3, posts 22 and 2-3 have disposed in groove 25 thereof wire spring support 27 whose ends are curled at 28 for engaging grooved bosses 30 forming part of a motor mounting plate. Two springs 27 are provided on opposite sides of the machine and bosses 30 are four in number and are arranged in a generally rectangular pattern. This arrangement provides a flexible and economical spring suspension. However, other arrangements such as a rubber pad between the motor and bottom 14 may be used as a vibration absorbing and sound deadening means.

Bosses 30 are part of motor mounting plate 32 preferably of plastic or electrically insulating material. Plate 32 has upwardly extending outer sleeve 33 which is inside of but spaced from sleeve 18 of the housing plate. Motor plate 32 has inner sleeve 34 to accommodate vertical steel shaft 35 of electric motor 36. Sleeves 18, 33 and 34 are generally concentric. Electric motor 36 is preferably a brushless type such as the induction type, this motor having a conventional stator with windings and a rotor which may be of the squirrel cage type or the motor may be of the permanent magnet type. Electric motor 36 has leads 37 and 38 for conducting current thereto.

Motor 36 is generally conventional except for the following particulars. Shaft 35 has its bottom free end supported in thrust bearing -ltl. Bearing n} may be of any suitable type but preferably is of the type having a porous bronze body impregnated with graphite. Bearing it) has at least part thereof made of electrically con ducting material and constitutes one terminal for supplying current to a load. Bearing 4% has wire 4?. connected thereto and for convenience wire 41 and wire .38 may be connected together to one terminal of On-Oii switch 43. Motor 35 is secured to insulating motor plate 32 by bolts 45 extending from the plate through the motor and provided with nuts for the bolts.

Shaft 35 extends upwardly through inner sleeve 34- of the motor plate and supports a rotatable super-structure generally indicated by d7. This super-structure has as a part thereof plate portion 43 having depending inner flange portion d9 tightly fitted over steel shaft 35. Plate portion 48 of the super-structure also carries depending outer flange 5d concentric with but spaced from inner flange 49. Plate portion as of the super-structure has at the outer edge thereof peripheral wall portion 51, part of which extends below the level of plate portion 48 and the remainder of which extends above the level of plate portion to form annular retaining peripheral portion 52.

Between inner and outer flanges 49 and 5d of the super-structure and against the bottom of plate portion 4% there is provided washer 54 of electrically conducting material such as brass or bronze. Washer 54 is preferably of bronze impregnated with graphite and cooperates with the top end turn of metallic helical coil spring as. The coil spring is preferably of brass or Phosphor bronze and the bottom turn of the coil spring rests against the top surface of motor mounting plate 32. inner sleeve 3 extends inside of the coils of spring 56. The bottom end of coil spring 56 is bent at and passes through an opening in motor mounting plate 32. Bent end 5% of the coil spring is electrically connected to lead 6i: which goes to switch 3 and is connected to the same terminal as motor lead 3'7.

Returning to super-structure 4-7, plate portion as has extending from the top face t erect a generally circular boss provided with two radi l diametrically opposed guide slots es and Disposed in slots 63 and 6d are steel balls 65' and These balls are the operating portions of two centrifugal switches. Referring for example to slot 63, this has fixed switch contact as which extends through opening 69 in super-structure plate portion and contacts the blind face of metal washer Cooperating with fixed contact 68 is movable contact "it? carried by spring arm 7;. whose end is secured to metal eyelet '72. Similarly, ball 66 cooperates with movable contact 74 carried by spring arm '75 going to eyelet '76. Eyelets '72 and 76 are carried by insulated post 77 and are electrically insulated from each other by mica strip 78.

Cooperating with movable contact 74 is fixed contact til"? which is carried by metal strip Sll terminating in clip 82 in the form of a small sleeve tightly pressed over the end of steel shaft 35. Thus fixed contact till is electrically connected to steel shaft Both of the switches are normally open when the motor is not turning or is running below a desired speed. Under normal operating conditions, when the motor is turning at full speed, the steel balls are thrown outwardly and serve to close both switches. Eyelets 72 and as are electrically connected to leads 8- and This heating elerne. helical spring bent to form a to consists of any suitable which as a rule, is sufficient to melt :eat from the heating element is the moulded plastic material of .per-structure is constructed. Heating element ,s c sed in the trough of an annular shroud 87. Shrou s of steel having a large number of perforations the rough and porcelain enamelled to vent short circuiung the electric heating element. perforations or open *s in the shroud are of the order of about The exact e is uninportant so long as the open s large enough to permit the molten sugar to pass tllrCllgll. pitch of heating element 85 should be sulFi nt so that t ere is space between the wire turns for the sugar to pt through. This space between turn is of the order of about .615 and suficient to permit rncell sugar to pass tilicentrifugal force.

Metal shroud 8? has bottom flange portion which fits within annular perioheral retaining portion 52. d op inr r edge portion 39 upon which is it i "1 portion 99 of top plate elate has opening 93 to provide access to the scr region between plate portion 48 and top plate These two p ates are firmly secured by bolts 95 bosses forn'ling part of plate db and extendvardly therefr Shroud 8C is of steel and has heat resistant enamel.

tructure previously described ch is rigidly secured to plate tening elements @9. Cap 93 preof any particles of sugar into the where it might interfere with the hes. Staionary bowl has exrn thereof inner upwardly extend- 11 stops near but is short of the m 'iphcial portion 51 of plate There is enough clearance around bowl portion res so that by tilting, the be may be raised and removed from the remainder oi me .e for cleaning. Annular portion 16 of the housmg insures the proper centering of the bowl during nori i use.

Cane sugar can be introduced into opening 93 of ough under the influence of by screws or 0th r vents super-structure. that switch 43 is turned on and that the motor operating properly, the heating coil will be enei :zed by closure of the centrifugal switches. The sugar cles will be whirled outwardly toward the heating Cu i. The hot wire of the heater will melt the sugar crystals. Cent i al force wi cause the molten to how through the coils of tee heating element. and through the openings in the shroud and pass out into bowl 12 in the form of cotton-like strands. Unless the motor is running properly, the heating coil will not be energized. By having the two centrifugal switches at both ends of the heating element, complete protection will be afforded against accidental shock if a person touches the heater coil when switch 4-3 is turned on but the motor is not operating due to some failure.

The construction disclosed and described is economical enough and simple enough so that it may be produced quantity at a moderate price and sold in large quarti y. lt is understood that the various parts of the superucture inclu mg the bowl and the plate, and the like, Will be of pie tic material and sulllciently strong to withstand mechanical forces to which these parts and snaft 35.

lhis is a contin Serial No. 185,922, r

i first is claimed is:

l. A machine for making candy comprising a base, a rotatable vertical metallic shaft supported by said base, an electric motor for rotating said shaft, a wiping metal contact or the lower portion of said shaft, a rotatable super-s. ..ture coupled to the top of said shaft for turn ing with said shaft, said super-structure including a rotat able washer of graphite impregnated bronze, an electric h ating element carried by said superstructure, said heat element having two terminals, means for connecting one icating element terminal to the top end of said shaft, means for connecting the other heating element terminal to one face of said washer, said washer being insulatingly supported by said super-structure to rotate therewith in .'on to the top portion of the rotatable d waslic' having other face accessible, a star ury helical metallic spring disposed in concentric relation to the upper portof said shaft with one end of said spring pressing ag st said accessible washer face, the other end of said sp ing constituting a terminal for connection to one si e source of electric power with rlier application i d or the other side of said source of electric power being connected to the contact the lower portion of said shaft, said means for connecting the heating element terminals including centrifu al type switch means for keeping the heater circuit open except when said electric motor is rotating said superstructure at least at a predetermined speed,

7 The construction according to claim 1, wherein said cei ".igal switch means include two electric switches connected to the two heating element terminals.

3. An candy making machine comprising a housing, a brusnless electric motor having a metallic shaft adapted to rotate during motor energization, means for supporting motor so that said shaft is vertical with a free top portion extending above and beyond the motor, said motor support means including an insulating motor mounting plate adjacent the top end of the motor and having an upwardly extc g sleeve spaced from but surrounding a ubstantial portion of the free top portion of the motor shaft, means cooperatir g with the bottom of said shaft for conducting ele 1c current from a stationary wire to said t, n ins! ting plate secu 'ed to rotate with said shaft, d insulating plate having a first downwardly extending flange around a portion of said shaft, a washer of graphite impregnated bronze for said insulating plate disposed around said first flange and having a free face look ing toward the motor, said insulating plate having an outer fiance extending downwardly therefrom with the washer being between the two flanges, a stationary metallic helical spring concentric with but spaced from the free portion of said shaft, said spring lying within the motor mounting plate sleeve, said spring being supported on the motor mounting plate concentric with but spaced from the shaft, the top end of said spring bearing against the free face of said washer, the bottom of said spring g a terr for conducting electric current to the action for holding a quantity of cane sugar, said bowl-shaped construction includin an outwardly curved support of open material having an electrically insulating heat resistant outer surface so that cane sugar in said whirling superstructure can work its way outwardly through the support, an electric heating element disposed at the inside curved portion of said support for heating said sugar as passes therethrough, means for electrically connecting the terminals of said heating element to said shaft and to said washer respectively, means supported by said housing for collecting sugar passing through the rotat- .IllC'tlll'C, a top wall for said housing having an up- ,y extending sleeve, tire housing top wall sleeve being said insulat g plate outer flange, the free end said housing top wall sleeve being above the tree end of said outer flange and above the free end of the mounting plate sleeve, a centrifugal type electric switch supported by said insulating plate, said electric switch being connected in the heating element circuit to maintain the heater circuit normally open except when the motor is operating normally and rotating said insulating plate.

4. The construction according to claim 3 wherein said insulating plate carries two normally open electric switches on opposite sides of the plate center and carries two metal balls for centrifugal operation to close said two 10 switches, said switches being connected on opposite sides of the heating element so that said heating element is electrically isolated when the switches are open.

5. The construction according to claim 3 wherein said motor mounting plate has an inner sleeve disposed inside 5 of the helical spring but clearing the motor shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A MACHINE FOR MAKING CANDY COMPRISING A BASE, A ROTATABLE VERTICAL METALLIC SHAFT SUPPORTED BY SAID BASE, AN ELECTRIC MOTOR FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT, A WIPING METAL CONTACT FOR THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID SHAFT, A ROTATABLE SUPER-STRUCTURE COUPLED TO THE TOP OF SAID SHAFT FOR TURNING WITH SAID SHAFT, SAID SUPER-STRUCTURE INCLUDING A ROTATABLE WASHER OF GRAPHITE IMPREGNATED BRONZE, AN ELECTRIC HEATING ELEMENT CARRIED BY SAID SUPER-STRUCTURE, SAID HEATING ELEMENT HAVING TWO TERMINALS, MEANS FOR CONNECTING ONE HEATING ELEMENT TERMINAL TO THE TOP END OF SAID SHAFT, MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE OTHER HEATING ELEMENT TERMINAL TO ONE FACE OF SAID WASHER, SAID WASHER BEING INSULATINGLY SUPPORTED BY SAID SUPER-STRUCTURE TO ROTATE THEREWITH IN CONCENTRIC RELATION TO THE TOP PORTION OF THE ROTATABLE SHAFT, SAID WASHER HAVING ITS OTHER FACE ACCESSIBLE, A STATIONARY HELICAL METALLIC SPRING DISPOSED IN CONCENTRIC RELATION TO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID SHAFT WITH ONE END OF SAID SPRING PRESSING AGAINST SAID ACCESSIBLE WASHER FACE, THE OTHER END OF SAID SPRING CONSTITUTING A TERMINAL FOR CONNECTION TO ONE SIDE OF A SOURCE OF ELECTRIC POWER WITH THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID SOURCE OF ELECTRIC POWER BEING CONNECTED TO THE CONTACT AT THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID SHAFT, SAID MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE HEATING ELEMENT TERMINALS INCLUDING CENTRIFUGAL TYPE SWITCH MEANS FOR KEEPING THE HEATER CIRCUIT OPEN EXCEPT WHEN SAID ELECTRIC MOTOR IS ROTATING SAID SUPERSTRUCTURE AT LEAST AT A PREDETERMINED SPEED. 